M - energy a summary

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Wind power:
Advantages:
· No carbon dioxide produced
· Relatively cheap to set up
· Take up little land
Disadvantages
· High set-up cost
· Can be noisy
· Disrupt TV reception
· Can kill wildlife
· Ruin scenic views
· On calm days very little power is produced
Solar power:
Advantages:
· Renewable
· No carbon dioxide produced
· Safe
· Pollution free
· Efficient
· Limitless in supply
Disadvantages:
· Not cheap to set up solar power stations
· In the UK in winter there is usually very little sun in which to produce energy
· Hindered by the weather

Nuclear energy:
Advantages:
· No release of carbon dioxide
· Does not pollute the air
· Always available does not rely on the weather
Disadvantages:
· Not renewable
· Problems of getting rid of nuclear waste
· Risk of Nuclear power stations exploding causing a large amounts of deaths
· Very expensive
Biomass:
Advantages:
· Renewable – growing biofuels
· Safe
· Cheap energy source
· Always available as it does not rely on the weather
Disadvantages:
· Releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere
· Pollutes the air
· Leads to environmental problems such as desertification and loss of wildlife
Fossil Fuels:
Advantages:
  • Cheap energy source
  • Always available because it does not rely on the weather
Disadvantages:
  • Not renewable
  • Releases lots of carbon dioxide
  • Causes environmental problems – acid rain and global warming
  • Not safe
  • Pollutes the atmosphere
Hydro-electric power:
Advantages:
  • Renewable
  • Often produced in highland areas where the population is sparse
  • Relatively cheap to maintain once the dam is built
  • Creates only limited pollution
  • Dams can reduce the risks of flooding, water shortages and improve river navigation
Disadvantages:
  • Dams are very expensive to build
  • Large areas of farmland and wildlife areas have to be flooded forcing people and animals to move.
  • Electricity pylons can be unsightly
  • The dam could collapse